Improvement in apparatus for the production of bromine



pose hereinafter 'set forth.- 1 l It also:` consists in the peculiar shape of the retort `and of the coverinclosing .thesame, 'as' Vifs hereinafter shown.

i set forth.

tr lsection of our improved apparatus."

ur inventionis animprovement in apparatus for ducing bromine, iodine, '&c., from bit-tern or the vmother-water ofthe salines, and I It consists, principally, in constructingfthe whole retort fromsandstone, or its equivalenti, for the ,pura

.il Italso consists in` the `arrz'tng'fement of the' steampipc with `referencetothe bottom of vthej retort, sub`V stantially ashereinafter `shown and fortlie-purpose i It finally consists in` the peculiar construction of the leaden condenser-as is hereinafter specified.

i Intheiannexcd diiaWing A represents a` hollow "cylindrical vessel or retort, cpt froma solid block ofmoderately' fine sandstone, and having anydcsired size or capacity, although we' `pfreferahly construct it so as to contain fronneighty to oliiehundred'gallons`, in-which case the retortfwould have a height of from three and a half to four feet, and a diameter, over all, of about three feet, the walls B being six inches thick, and its bottom G; averaging aboutseven andonehalf inches thick. l l

il The bottom inclinesdownwardto one, side or" the retortpt suchan angleasjto. give it at the upper.- side al1; thickness of aboutgnine inches, and at the lower 4side about six `inches,,at the latter of` -w1iich'points,`j is 'provided anopemng, for-the emission of the eirhau'sted bittern. y

:y A secondopening, E, extends `horizontally through the wall `of the retort about one inch above the bottpmmidway between its highest 'and` lowestpoints,

`whichv opening'serves for the introduction -of the steam-pipe F. Y

l Grepresents apsandstonecovcr inclosng the top o the retort, which, as shown in the drawing,"is prof vyided with a right-angled groove, b, extending around the inner cornerof l the wall B,=into which said cover caused to vtit', andupon which it rests: The Vl cover is ecured in place, and a `gas `and steamstightjoint NIMPRovEMeNT IN APPARATUS ron THE PRODUCTION or BROMINE.

CQIIERMANNNSTIEREN, or MAsoN, WEsT- vIReINI-A, AND WILLIAM A."

f Nister, or NArRoNA, PENNSYLVANIA.

i i i A y Letters Patent No. 103,253: lated May 17" 1870,

` i The oheduie referredto in these Letters Patent and making part of thel :annie produced, by means of cement, plaster of Paris, or, better still, blue clay softened with bittern. f

Passing downward through the center, of -the cover G', is a conical opening," which serves to contain a sandstone funnel, H, corresponding in size and shape therewith,'and projectingthrough the cover so as to bring `its upper or large end ilush with the upper v surface ofthe same.

a diameter of about one anda half inch, and. serves to admit the inner end o'f the leaden cooler or con-` denser I, `while the'opposite opening, having a diameter of three-fourths of an inch,- receives the end of a glass tube, K.

As seen in the drawing, the c ondenser I vextends vertically upward through' the cover G, from thence horizontally across to a Apoint above the center of the vessel L, and from thence, Vextending downward within the same', has the usual spiral form, its lower end passing through' the bottom of said vessel, L, and-terminating within ajar, M, which serves as a receiver for thebromine.

' The Acondenser I is formed of lead, and experience `hasproved that it is most liable to corrosion at the i pointv where the `bromine is transformed from a gaseous toa liquid state, or within the cold Water containedwithin the vessel L. In order to guard against such corrosion,v and render` the condenser uniformly durable, the thickness of its `walls is increased from three-eighths tog'three-fourths of 'an inch, from the point where it enters the cold water within the ves.- sel 'L to apoint immediately above the bottom of said vessel.

At a point a few inches above the bottom of the vessel Lis connected to the condenser I a smaller pipe, N, which from thencepassing upward through the vessel i L, curves downward, and terminates within a vessel, O,

containing soda or'potash liquor, and permits the escape from said condenser of air andother gases'which are absorbed by the contents of said vessel.

The'es'pecial advantages' possessed v"by these iinprovernents, are- Y First, by constructing the retort, cover, and funnel ot' the same'r'naterialg(saudstone,) a uniform dura` `bility 'of the parts is secured-,anda large saving in vthe -usual cost for repairs results. Y

Second, the increased. bearing-surface betweenV the` cover and retort renders more easyitbe production of `a tight joint,v it being only necessary to ,apply to saidsurfaoes 'a thin coat of plaster-of Paris, or of slate-blue clay mixed with hittcrn, to accomplish the. desired result, by which means, a considerable sav- -tion of the apparatus.

ing is obtained over the common method of laying the cove upon the retort, and plastering up the cracks with mnd, as, by the latter method, much bromine escapes in a gaseous state and is lost.

Third, the form ofthe retort `renders more even and thorough the distribution of heat within the same, and, consequently, greatly facilitates the de-A composition of the bittern, and the production of bromine, in addition to which the vessel is much stronger, and can be made much lighter' than would be possible if of another form.

Fourth, the incline bottom of the retort, in connection with the position of the inlet for steam, greatly facilitates the removalxof the exhausted bittern and other refuse, so that it is but seldom necessary to remove the cover, and, consequently,interrupt the oper- Fifth, the form of the condenserfpipe greatly increases its durability, without materially increasing its cost.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits ot' our invention,

Vhat we claim as new, and desire to s eeure by Letters Patent, is-

Also, the lead condensation-pipe I, constructed inv the manner and for the purpose substantially as hereinbefore specified.

In testimony that we ,claim the foregoing, we ha've hereunto set our hands this 27th day of April, 1870.

HERMANN STIEREN, M. D. WILLIAM A. NISBET.

Witnesses:

JACOB BIRD,

SUsAN BIRD,

YJr'nN H. MUELLER, P. S; BRACKENRIDGE. 

